Richardson spurs Newark Catholic

Sunday

May 31, 2009 at 12:01 AMMay 31, 2009 at 10:14 AM

Miles Richardson scattered five hits and hit a home run as Newark Catholic qualified for the state baseball tournament for the sixth time in eight seasons with an 11-2 win over Toronto in a Division IV regional final yesterday at Lancaster's Beavers Field.

Miles Richardson scattered five hits and hit a home run as Newark Catholic qualified for the state baseball tournament for the sixth time in eight seasons with an 11-2 win over Toronto in a Division IV regional final yesterday at Lancaster's Beavers Field.

Chris Leibold contributed three hits for the Green Wave (20-10), which took command with four runs in the second inning and five in the third, two on Richardson's homer. All nine batters in Newark Catholic's lineup had at least one hit and Green Wave players also successfully laid down four sacrifice bunts.

Toronto (26-4), which finished first in the final state coaches poll, scored runs in the fourth and fifth innings but could do no more.

Newark Catholic has won six small-school state championships, including four since 2002. The Green Wave will play the winner of the Lorain regional at 10 a.m. Friday at Huntington Park.

Coldwater 5, North Union 0

Keith Wenning allowed two hits in six innings to lead Coldwater (30-2) past North Union (18-8) in a Division III regional final at Elida.

Bill Geeslin hit two doubles and pitched a perfect seventh inning of relief for the Cavaliers, who won their 16th regional title. Coldwater plays Hamilton Badin at 1 p.m. Thursday in a state semifinal at Huntington Park.

Steve McKinney had both hits for the Wildcats.

Coldwater scored four times in the second inning against North Union starter Travis Cameron, who allowed eight hits in 6 2/3 innings. The Cavaliers had three hits in the inning, took advantage of two Wildcats errors and also scored on a suicide squeeze.